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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Harry Wilson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsellendawilliamss@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:52:29 -0700
Subject: FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR

FROM: THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
 
HEADQUARTERS: 1A, CANADA SQUARE, CANARY WHARF, LONDON E14 5DT, UNITED KINGDOM
 
REFERENCE Nš: EGS/2251256003/03
BATCH Nš: 14/0017/1PD
 
AWARD NOTIFICATION
 
Flash Budget Finance Lottery of British International Lottery Program wishes to inform you
 
the results of the E-mail address ballot lottery program by the British International
 
Lottery Program held on July 21st, 2010. Your email account was selected as a winner of Two
 
Million Pounds Only.
 
This result is now made available to you and your email address attached in the Category A
 
bonus ball 02, 03, 21, 24, 38, 44, and bonus ball 47. Participants were selected through a
 
computerized ballot system drawn from company and individual email addresses users.
 
We advice that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been
 
processed and your money released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid
 
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. For the release of your winnings,
 
kindly contact your claims agent with the following details to expedite the processing of
 
your prize winning.
 
1. Full name and address.
2. Country of Residence
3. Tel and fax number.
4. Occupation.
 
To begin your claim, please contact our Claim Manager at the Claim Department immediately
 
with the following Information
 
Contact Name: Mrs. Ellenda Williams
Email Address; mrsellendawillia@aol.com
telephone number +4470457 45641
 
All winning must be claimed not later than two weeks from the date of receipt of this email.
 
After this date all prize winning will treated as Unclaimed
 
Note in order to avoid unnecessary delays; remember to quote your Reference and Batch
 
numbers in all correspondence. Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you
 
for being part of our special quarterly promotional Lottery program.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mr. Harry Wilson
(Information and Promotion Manager)

Anti-fraud resources: